Three Proteins Form a “Key” That Enables Sperm To "Unlock" an Egg

Genetic studies have identified many proteins that contribute to the first contact between egg and sperm. However, no direct evidence has yet demonstrated how these factors bind or form complexes to carry out their function as a “lock-and-key” mechanism. Now, Andrea Pauli’s lab at the IMP and collaborators combined Artificial Intelligence-driven structural predictions with direct experimental evidence to reveal the formation of a fertilization complex. Their findings draw from studies in zebrafish, mice and human cells.